Moondog Moondog Group 1952 Acetate 78rpm 12 Unreleased Clean Hear It

ARTIST : MOONDOG

TITLE : MOONDOG GROUP

LABEL CATALOG NUMBER : NO LABEL AUDIODISC BLANK / NO NUMBER

FORMAT : ACETATE 78rpm 12

COVER CONDITION : NO COVER, as issued.

VINYL CONDITION : EX very clean, some minor surface scuffs only. acetate playing surface shows perfect, bright gloss, and deep well-cut grooves. no chipping or loss to acetate playing surface at all, just a couple tiny chips at outer edge. standard blank audiodisc labels display hand-penned artist track notes, as well as date : august 8, 1952. clean labels with very slight dirt only. plays with some surface noise typical to the medium, but exceptionally clear present fidelity. HEAR IT below.

NOTES : extremely rare 78rpm 12 ACETATE, the only copy known to exist. this disc contains 4 tracks, with a total play time of approx. 10 minutes. the 4th track, here titled MOONDOG GROUP taking up the entire side 2, has been researched by wolfgang gnida, curator of moondog s corner website, and confirmed to be entirely UNRELEASED in any form. it is a previously undocumented performance, absent from the moondog archives in munster, germany, that has never been released, circulated, or reissued in any form. likewise, the 1st track, here titled ON THE STREET is a perviously unknown and unreleased early version, which would later appear in 1953 on the ON THE STREETS OF NEW YORK 7 EP MARS / MREP-A2 . that released version slightly edits this take and adds additional overdubbed percussion. please see below for specific track by track details.

the origin of this acetate is unknown. it was possibly produced by LOUIS BEBE BARRON, or by TONY SCHWARTZ. the label is dated august 8, 1952, although at least 2 of these tracks both ORGAN ROUNDS were recorded in 1950 or earlier and released by SMC. if all 4 tracks originate from one session or from different master tape sources likewise remains unknown. we can only speculate.

we know that the barron s recorded moondog on the air in december 1951 see separate listing of the MUSIC MOONDOG acetate . we know that all 8 tracks on the rare SNAKETIME SERIES 10 on CRESCENT RECORDS see separate listing also were recorded by the barron s at their SOUND PORTRAITS studio aka BARRON SOUND STUDIOS in greenwich village, NY. finally, we know that by early 1956 moondog had launched MOONDOG RECORDS, in anticipation of which we believe the CRESCENT 10 ca. 1953-1955 was probably an abandoned prototype. it seems reasonable to speculate that in august 1952 moondog was gathering material both old and new for planned independent release on his own label. if true, this AUDIODISC acetate may have been made by the barron s at moondog s request.

TRACK 1, here titled ON THE STREET is a perviously unknown and unissued early version, which would later appear in 1953 on the ON THE STREETS OF NEW YORK 7 EP MARS / MREP-A2 under the new title AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS 51st STREET . that released version edits out a quick okay at the very start of the take, and adds additional overdubbed percussion. the version here, like the released version, is solo moondog, opening with street noise and using his well known primitive overdubbing technique.

TRACK 2, here titled ORGAN ROUNDS seems to be the same version previously released in 1950 under the title ORGAN ROUNDS PART TWO as the 2nd side of a shellac 78 on SMC PRO-ARTE, later reissued in 1957 on THE STORY OF MOONDOG lp on PRESTIGE. this track is solo moondog, using his well known primitive overdubbing technique.

TRACK 3, here also titled ORGAN ROUNDS is an edited version of the track previously released in 1950 under the title ORGAN ROUNDS PART ONE as the 1st side of a shellac 78 on the SMC PRO-ARTE. this shorter version quickly fades in about 8 seconds later then the released version, and fades out at approx. 1 minute, about 1 minute shorter then the released version. this track is solo moondog, using his well known primitive overdubbing technique.

TRACK 4, here titled MOONDOG GROUP covers all of side two, has been confirmed to be entirely UNRELEASED in any form, unique to this rare acetate. unlike the other 3 tracks, this is a wonderful extended live group session with opening closing movements around a mid-section break. during the break all 4 of musicians introduce themselves their instrument, followed by a brief solo from each player. the ensemble includes: MOONDOG, MARY, DAVID JIMMY. in all likelihood, david is DAVID BUTTERFIELD, credited on other moondog releases in the later 1950s.

the recording quality fidelity throughout is exceptional, with a very clear present sound, despite some inherent surface noise. there can be no doubt that these were well-produced recording sessions, professionally cut to acetate from high quality source tapes, likely the original masters.

this is the same copy that sold here on ebay in 2007. no other copy is know to exist. by all accounts a highly important unique discovery, in amazingly clean condition. please contact us with any additional information you may have about this acetate.

please LISTEN to samples of all 4 tracks below, unaltered taken directly from the actual acetate listed :